


love is nearbi

by sokkaseyebrows



Series: bi bi bi baby [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Allura (Voltron) is So Done, Attempt at Humor, Awkward Flirting, Bad Flirting, Bisexual Disaster Lance (Voltron), Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Everyone Is Alive, First Kiss, Fluff, Gay Disaster Keith (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Keith (Voltron) is a Dork, Lance (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Post-Canon, Shiro (Voltron) is So Done, THIS IS AN ACTUAL TAG WHAT, i love these tags omg, let Shiro rest, on lance's pov but its still there i promise, so bad you dont even notice its flirting, theyre both dumbasses, this was supposed to be lance's journey to his bisexuality but i guess thats for another time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:09:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24578086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sokkaseyebrows/pseuds/sokkaseyebrows
Summary: “There are uh. Some rumors that you and Acxa are… together?” He let out a nervous laugh.Keith hummed and then a second later shrugged, “Those won’t last. I’m gay and she’s an alien.”After a moment of silence, Lance burst out laughing, “Dude!” With that, Keith started laughing too. “Was that— Was that a Doctor Who reference?”
Relationships: Allura & Lance (Voltron), Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Series: bi bi bi baby [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1775182
Comments: 10
Kudos: 171





	love is nearbi

**Author's Note:**

> i just wrote this 7.5k piece so i could insert make keith make this exact doctor who reference:
> 
> lance: so.. there are rumors that u and acxa.. yknow… together??  
> keith: omg reALLY? tbh those rumors wont last. im gay and shes an alien  
> lance:  
> lance: dgfdgfjJSHFJSHDFJSKISD ME
> 
> keith makes puns and stupid jokes and references.  
> also im a sucker for alteans using earth lingo but getting it wrong. makes me feel better as a dumbass non-english speaker

“You need to get your fuck together, Lance,” Allura whispered to Lance.

“You think I don’t know that?” Lance replied.

“Everyone is going to be here any minute, you need to buckle up and go and ask him. I do not understand what is keeping you here when he is standing _right_ there. All by himself.”

“Yeah but what if Acxa comes back and then they wander off to make out in the halls completely forgetting about me?”

“Keith wouldn’t do that! Have some faith in him.” Lance sighed, Allura was right. He knew that, but this still did nothing to ease his anxiety. He had been waiting for this day to come ever since Keith accepted the invitation weeks ago. This was going to be the first time they had seen each other in person since last year. Today, they were celebrating the rebuilding of Altea. Kind of like a grand opening celebration. 

(Lance tried to convince Coran to have a huge ribbon outside of the atmosphere of the planet, _New Altea,_ so they could cut it with giant scissors, but Allura had gotten better at catching him when he was messing with them about Earth culture during the years they have spent as paladins. He was really upset about it, he even had planned out how he was gonna hold giant scissors in space and cut a giant ribbon.)

He was pretty happy about this day, a bit nervous but still happy, because Coran and Allura had _finally_ found a place they could call home. Yeah the Castle of Lions were awesome and had a nostalgic vibe, and they all would call it _home,_ but it still wasn’t the same. Lance understood that because Earth and the castle were two different homes he wouldn’t trade for anything, but Earth was still different. It was less lonely and more familiar. It was natural for Allura and Coran to want that feeling back which was ripped apart from that long time ago.

Also, there was no way all the Alteans would be able to live in the castle.

Besides, he was finally going to see everyone together again. All of the paladins were around the universe, doing their part after the war so they haven’t been able to meet up as much. Pidge was currently with Olkarions, where they were going to an _academy,_ to learn about Olkarion science and technology as much as they could. Hunk was trying to recruit young, bright minds from the planets that have been destroyed, so they could go back to their homes to help the recovery from war. He and Pidge were also planning to try and rebuilt Voltron and the Lions, but it was a secret since they didn’t want to give Coran and Allura false hopes.

Shiro… disappeared again. After going back to Earth, he started making up to his ex-fiancé. Which turned out to be really difficult because Adam was apparently a petty man. Lance wished the best for Shiro, but honestly? It was _a little_ entertaining. After making up and getting married right after, Shiro said he wanted to take a break from everything and show Adam all the amazing places he had been to. Well, actually, his exact words were _I am retiring, do not ever call me unless you wanna come to our place for a cup of tea. From now on I will be chill, happy and relaxed. And none of you will be disturbing me._

Then no one heard of them again, at least for about two months. After that, he occasionally called them, sent them photos and texted them informing he was alive and well but most of the time he was simply enjoying his time with his husband. Shiro once said their biggest worry nowadays was keeping an eye for Adam’s praying hours.

And Lance couldn’t be happier for both of them.

Allura and Coran have been busy over the last years trying to rebuild Altea on an uninhabited planet called _Oğuzkağan._ Apparently this planet used to be inhabited by a species called _Kültigin_ ten thousand years ago, but they have been wiped out when they rebelled against the Galra Empire back in the day. Both Allura and Coran remembered those days, it happened only a couple of weeks before Altea’s fall. 

Right after they had woken up from their sleep in the castle, they immediately had started to look for the planets and civilizations that survived the war. When they found out there were no signs of _Kültigins_ and most of their architectural, academic and artistic culture have been destroyed and burnt, as well as other civilizations and planets, they had mourned for days. 

After the war, Coran and Allura tried to bring back the cultures and make the planets which have been destroyed habitable again, so that at least their legacies would live. They did what they could, but at the end of the day, what's left of these civilizations had been looted or had fallen weak against the nature over the thousands of years. The restorations of those planets based on the ancient archives were still ongoing. 

_Oğuzkağan's_ air was breathable by the Alteans and their ecosystem was mostly similar to what it used to be, although being evolved so they thought it was a good enough place to settle in. 

(Coran once ate a plant thinking it was the edible plant called _manas,_ but it turned out it was a mutated combination of _manas_ and some other plant. Apparently it was a substitute for caffeine. Allura said she had flashbacks to that one time Coran got a brainworm. It wasn’t a nice experience.)

Although he kept seeing them all through screens and video calls, Lance hadn’t been able to see them in person frequently. Especially Keith, since he was working with Blades trying to aid people who had lost their planets and Lance was working with coalition trying to recruit allies to send them over to Blades, so they could receive the assistance they needed such as accommodation, medical, food and nutrition assistance. Lance’s job was to travel the planets that were in a better situation and find volunteers who would be willing to travel with the Blades where the aid was needed.

Asking people to volunteer to work with a race that has oppressed them for thousands of years in God knows where was… hard, to say the least. Lance couldn’t blame them, he was a Cuban student in USA, he knew a thing or two about racism and oppression. It was always difficult to convince that Blades were actually rebels, and they were on their sides, but him being a paladin helped.

( _a charismatic one,_ Keith had said once, when he first tried to convince Lance’s to come back up in space. Not that Lance needed convincing since he already decided he didn’t want to settle on Earth and be a flight instructor _yet,_ but hey, he wasn’t complaining.)

Besides, people always seemed to be thrilled to hear that another paladin, the former _leader_ of Voltron, was directly working with Blades and was half-Galra himself. Lucky for them, Lance was a good storyteller and had a lot of stories about how cool and amazing and talented and kind and selfless Keith was.

So he and Keith had been working together for almost two years now and had always been in touch, but they barely found time to sit down and relax, so they never got to spend time together until now. It was different seeing him alive and moving in person than seeing him through a screen and talking about their missions and reporting to each other. Thus, his nervousness.

So yeah. He _was_ pretty happy. Until some other Blade members arrived and Lance heard them talking about Keith _and_ Acxa coming _together._ Lance couldn’t help but engage in the conversation once he heard his name. Apparently Keith and Acxa had been together on the latest missions so they were going to arrive in the same ship. Ahubaba _,_ she was one of the Blade members Keith liked and often spent time with, made a joke about what they were doing in the ship. _Alone._ Lance had to excuse himself.

Allura bend down a bit to whisper, “Okay Lance, don’t look but he’s looking at us.” Lance snapped his head toward where Keith sat even before Allura finished her sentence. “I said don’t look!” Allura whisper-yelled in a fury. Keith suddenly averted his eyes and pretended to be drinking from his empty glass. _Dumbass._

“Lance?”

“Hm?”

“Go to him. _Talk_ to him. You have been waiting to see him in weeks.”

“Allura, there is no point of asking him out anymore, the Blades say, and I quote, “there is a new blossoming relationship between them.” So princess, tell me, why would it matter if I asked him out? He is going to say no and he will find out about my feelings and it will be awkward. No thanks.”

“No offense Lance but you haven’t been exactly subtle. Ever since we were paladins.”

Lance turned to Allura in panic, “You think he knows?” He groaned. “Great.” 

“He would know if he was observant.”

“Keith _is_ observant.”

“Not when it’s about you and romance. You aren’t subtle, but you are also very confusing. One minute you two are having a moment and the next you are insulting him.”

“I’m _flirting._ He is doing the same. We are flirting.” He hesitated for a moment. “Or _were_ flirting. I don’t know. Maybe I read it all wrong. Or maybe I missed my chance.”

Allura sighed, “Humans are _so_ weird.” She waved her hand, “Whatever. Just trust me, alright? You’ll always be restless if you don’t talk to him. What if years pass and you find out they were never together? Remember Lance, those are just rumors. Jokes. Blade members were joking around. They can be false. Besides, you and Keith are close. He’d mention he and Acxa started a relationship or at least tell you he was interested in her.” Lance hated to admit, but Allura had a point. Lance knew he’d eventually talk to Keith about his feelings, and he would regret not talking about them sooner.

“Come on, Lance. If not now, when?”

“You got me there.” Lance took a deep breath. He was going to do it. Keith was alone right now, sitting on a table, crossing his arms and scowling. He turned to Allura. “ _Fine._ I’ll do it. Happy now?”

“Yes, very much.” Lance looked at Keith again. Keith was staring at him but he quickly looked away once he saw Lance was staring at him back. Keith uncrossed his arms and put one of his hands on the table and his other hand under his chin. His fingers started a rhythm on the table. His eyes fell back to Lance and Lance held his stare. He was sure he was glaring aggressively.

Either Lance had gotten worse reading him over the years, or Keith had gotten better at masking himself because Lance had no idea why Keith looked pissed right now.

(Maybe Lance’s eyesight wasn’t as good as it used to be and he was just having a hard time reading Keith across the room.)

“Lance,” said Allura, sounding exhausted.

“Hm?” Lance replied, distracted.

“You’re still here.” Oh shit, right. _Better get moving, then._

Lance pushed himself from the wall he was leaning and started walking toward Keith. He could hear Allura from his back wishing him good luck. He was gonna need it. 

He couldn’t stop looking at Keith, even when an Altean stopped him. They asked if Lance was one of the former paladins in which Lance asked them to find them later because _he had important things to do like asking a boy out._ He was being kinder than that though.

Lance thought for a moment that it was weird he and Keith never broke the eye contact while all of that happened, but then again, it actually was not. Because it was _Keith,_ how was Lance supposed to look away? He had never been able to look at someone other than Keith for years.

Long before he fell in love with him, even when they weren’t even friends, even when Keith hadn’t acknowledged his presence, even when his feelings were not soft and smitten, and they were more bitter, angry and jealous with the hint of _admiration,_ he had never been able to look away. Whenever Keith wasn’t in the same room with Lance, he’d look for him. Whenever he and Keith were in the same room, he’d always stare at him. Keith would never turn around and look back though.

(Funny, how he had strived for Keith’s attention almost half of his life, for different reasons over the years, and once he got it, he didn’t know what to do. There was a time in his life where he felt inferior to Keith, and he thought he would never be able to catch up to him, but that changed somewhere along the way when they were still paladins. One day Lance noticed Keith was looking at him _back,_ holding his stare and standing _beside_ him. Lance didn’t know what to do with this revelation. Keith always had this influence on him where he made him stop thinking and be nervous and _unsure_ about everything, but it was for different reasons now. Being acknowledged felt good either way.)

The thing was, until Keith, Lance never had any problems with his attraction. His bisexual awakening happened natural, _huh... i guess that makes sense_ was his initial response and he never really thought about it. He did become more confident whenever he was trying to impress someone though. He just knew what he liked and what he wanted, he knew when he wanted a relationship or a date or a hookup or kiss for a couple of minutes or even _nothing._ He was direct in different ways, depending on what he wanted. Sometimes this meant pick-up lines. Sometimes this meant asking for someone’s number. Sometimes this meant confessing. Sometimes this meant a simple _hey do you wanna go on a date_ or _hey wanna make out for a bit._ Sometimes this meant ignoring and pretending he wasn’t feeling anything. 

So yes, he knew when he wanted to pursue someone or let it go. He never felt ashamed or embarrassed of his attractions, old relationships or even rejections. Shit happened. He was here to have a good time and with some exceptions, he did have a good time so he wasn’t complaining.

(Although most of the relationships and rejections played right into his insecurities and felt a bit _too personal,_ despite the whole _it’s not you, it’s me_ talk. He eventually learned he shouldn't dwell on them much.)

With Keith, it was… harder to decide what he wanted. He knew he _wanted_ Keith, he wanted to kiss him and take him on a date and be in a long-time relationship but something always stopped him. Keith made him nervous. He made him doubt himself and his feelings and what he wanted. He didn’t know if he wanted to risk their friendship because of his feelings just in case… Keith didn’t feel the same or even if he did, it didn’t work out.

With Keith, he either tried to full on confess and use pick up lines or ignore and pretend he wasn’t feeling anything. Hence, the push and pull.

Lance _wasn’t_ stupid. He knew Keith and he could somehow manage to move on and be friends again. But the thing was, he knew why Keith wouldn’t feel the same or would want to leave him once they were in a relationship. 

He wasn’t good enough. Especially not for Keith.

Keith deserved someone as amazing as he was. He deserved someone that’d rock his world, make him dizzy. Make him feel the things he never felt before. Someone that wouldn’t bore him eventually. Someone that deserved Keith’s love and attention and time. Someone that deserved Keith. 

Someone other than Lance.

(Keith had told him he never thought of Lance anything less than his equal, on one of their video calls. _I could have convinced myself that earlier, if you hadn’t ran away to Blades,_ Lance replied. Keith’s face had done something weird then, like he was in pain, but he didn’t say anything. They had made this conversation, and many other conversations like this one, long time ago, opened up to each other and laid their insecurities and bitterness bare, and simply just talked and understood each other last night they spent on Earth before the Blade and coalition missions. Lance felt that conversation had gotten them closer and this time, Keith didn’t leave.)

(Lance wasn’t bitter anymore. He _wasn’t._ He moved on. But also, what he said was a fact.)

When Lance arrived Keith’s table, he noticed he didn’t look angry like Lance thought earlier, he looked sad. He stopped the rhythm of his fingers, and put the hand under his chin onto the table, making hang casually from the sides of the table.

“Hey.” Lance greeted Keith, breathless.

“Hey,” Keith cleared his throat and tried again, sounding more sure, “Hey. I, uh, didn’t see you there. It’s a bit crowded here.”

“Right.” Lance looked around the saloon that was obviously not crowded at all and made sure Keith could hear the sarcasm. _Didn’t see me there in the crowd, my ass._ It was nice to see Keith was still a bad liar. “So uh, what have you been up to tonight? I wanted to come to you earlier, but I’ve been busy. With stuff.”

“With Allura, you mean.” 

“No, with thinking. About stuff.”

“Stuff?”

“Yeah.”

“What kind of stuff?”

“You,” said Lance, and Keith straightened his back and put his hands on his lap.

“What about me?” Lance could _hear_ him tensing. There was a moment of silence, a very awkward one with Lance still standing on the other side of the table and Keith intensely staring at him, both of his eyebrows raised.

“Do you wanna get out—” Keith abruptly got up, knocking his chair.

“Yes.”

“—of here?”

“Yeah.”

“...O-kay then. Uh, let’s go. The terrace has a nice view. And we can see the _Yaratılış_ rising if we are lucky.” They started walking toward the fancy, bronze-coloured door of the saloon. It was decorated with the four moons of the planet and the star map of tonight. Coran said the map configures itself to the date. 

Their brief walk to the elevators was silent. It wasn’t _bad,_ but it was awkward and Lance was reminded of their old paladin days when their friendship was still tentative. 

_Please don't be playing a romantic song,_ Lance prayed to God as he called the elevator from upstairs, _please don't._

It turned out that the elevator _was_ playing a romantic song. The moment they stepped in, the speakers practically screamed into the silence _Come on, come on, because everybody's after love_ and Lance had never hated his music taste as much as he did at the moment. 

Keith turned his head to him as he pressed down the 24th floor's button. "Did you really—? Are you the one who chose the music?" 

"Only for the elevator."

 _"Shrek?"_ Keith stared at him like he couldn't decide if he should laugh or be surprised. 

Lance shrugged, "Yeah, but you liked it." 

"... Yeah, I loved it." Ha! Lance knew he would. Not that he did it for Keith. He just thought Keith would like it. He couldn't help the smile on his face, mirroring Keith's.

He had to look away before that sight made him do something stupid like kissing Keith. Or asking him if he wanted to _surrender to the strawberry ice cream with Lance._ Ugh, that would be a stupid pick-up line. Lance was classier than that. 

(He wasn’t. And he knew Keith would be into that kind of a dumb pick-up line.)

Lance bit inside of his cheeks to stop himself from smiling. He glanced at Keith, who was staring the elevator doors in front of him, and then he glanced down, noticing how close they were standing, their hands almost brushing. He couldn't help the way his right hand twitched, yearning to held Keith's hand. 

_Come on, come on, move a little closer._ Lance had no idea if he was singing the song, mentally asking Keith to move closer or begging himself to move closer to him at that point. 

Thankfully, Keith humming distracted him from his suffering. To _freaking_ All Star. 

"Dude, All Star? Really? Oh my God, you're unbelievable. It's not even the song playing right now." 

" _You_ are the one who put a Shrek song in the elevator. Now all I can think about is that dumb song because it's _catchy._ Unfortunately." Lance loved this man so fucking much. 

"Keith, oh my God. I'm just teasing, relax." Lance laughed and put his hands up, "But if you _really_ need to sing it out, be my guest. Whatever happens in the elevator stays in the elevator." _Whatever happens in the elevator stays in the elevator,_ could mean a thousand different things and Lance chose that one. Awesome. Very smart.

"Fuck you." 

They were in the middle of making L on their foreheads and screaming _She was looking kind of dumb_ when the elevator doors opened and they got caught by two Altean women coming back from a very obvious romantic trip. They tidied themselves up and stepped out of the elevator quickly, briefly greeting the Alteans and eager to pretend that never happened. 

"Aw man, we were _just_ getting in the mood." Lance pouted. 

"Shut up. That never happened. _Whatever happens in the elevator stays in the elevator."_ Keith glared at him for a couple of seconds until they both cracked up and started laughing. 

"Keith— Keith. Have you _seen_ their faces?" Lance couldn't control his laughing. 

"Yes— that was so embarrassing." Keith apparently couldn't stop his laughing either, "Imagine, one second you're having a romantic moment, and the other second you're witnessing the defenders of the universe doing _that."_ Keith kept laughing, but softer. Lance was melting like an ice-cream on a summer day and couldn't take his eyes off of him. He was sure he had a disgustingly fond expression on his face. 

And of course Keith noticed that. "What?" He asked, still a big smile on his face. "Why are you staring?" 

"'m not." Lance took a deep breath. "C'mon, this way," and headed toward the terrace doors. 

The hallways were long and wide, the walls filled with the drawings of ancient Altean legends, mostly about the legends that gave stars and constellations their names. In the daylight they weren't visible much, they'd look like splashes of color, but when the night fell they'd glow in the dark with the prettiest colors of the space. The parts where the legends were told were mostly black on a white background and as you looked up, you would see the parts that symbolized sky. And those parts were colorful on a dark, almost consuming black background, having star drawings that actually sparkled as they walked. 

Keith was staring at the ceiling in awe, and when Lance looked up, he could pretend they were walking under the endless space itself. It made him feel small. Insignificant. Like the mistakes he could make tonight didn't matter.

Lance stared at their hands, once again, swaying so close to each other, and then to Keith's face, reflecting a slightly purple light from the walls. It reminded him all the times he'd spend staring Keith's face during missions inside a Galra Empire base or spaceship. 

"I have to warn you, Keith, after we get to the terrace and close the doors behind us, our only light source will be from the moons, and even four moons doesn't let you see the ground. We are on the 24th floor and we won't be able to see what's underneath and it'll be dark. All we are gonna be seeing will be the sky."

Keith hummed absently, thinking and his eyebrows furrowing. After a moment of silence, he looked at Lance. "So it'll be just you, me and the pretty sky above us?" 

"Uh. Yeah, pretty much." Lance knew how it sounded. He hoped Keith noticed it too.

"You do realize it sounds romantic, right?" Keith asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Yes. If you don't want to see the view we can go somewhere else. Or go back to the saloon, if you want." What was up with this question? 

Did he… figure it out? Was he trying to say he didn’t want it or he was uncomfortable with it?

Lance's hands started to sweat. 

"I do want to see it. I was just wondering if this should be an activity you should be doing with Allura." That stopped Lance.

"What?" Noticing Lance wasn’t waking, Keith also stopped and turned to Lance. "Why would I do that with her?" 

"Because this sounds like a thing couples would do." said Keith, the _duh_ being implied. "Two people. Alone. In the dark. Pretty night sky. Stargazing. Watching the moon setting." He sounded angrier at each word.

 _Great._ Keith thought Lance and Allura were a couple and was angry that Lance was trying to romance someone else. 

"Allura and I aren't a couple." Keith seemed taken aback at his words. "You are... not?" 

"We are not." Lance took a deep breath, scowling. "So _no,_ Keith, I wouldn't take Allura here." 

"Oh." Keith cleared his throat. "I just thought you two have been together."

"Since when?" 

"Since— I just thought you got together before the war." Lance gaped at him, he was not expecting this. “What? You two were really close and you have always flirted with her.”

“Keith, Allura and I have never dated. I didn’t mean the flirting most of the time and I even stopped a while after. I mean, I _did_ like her, once, but it didn’t last that long. It was the early weeks of being a paladin.” said Lance, in all his seriousness, then took a deep breath. “It doesn’t matter whether or not I liked her before. I don’t like her that way now. I haven’t for a long time. She and I are good friends.” He stomped his way to Keith and grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the door of the terrace. After the initial shock, Keith caught up to him and walked as fast as him, their hands still linked. Lance was aware he was grabbing Keith’s hand like his life depended on it. But Keith was strong enough to free himself. 

(Yet, he _didn’t._ )

“So just to be clear,” Keith said, after a moment of silence, “You didn’t bring Allura here, somewhere perfect for a romantic getaway, because you aren’t interested in her. Romantically.”

“Yes.” Lance drew his eyebrows together. 

“But you brought _me._ ” Lance could feel Keith’s eyes on him, but refused to look at him.

“ _Yes._ ” Oh well. “What about it, _samurai_.” Lance tried to use the nickname because he wanted to make it look like he was making fun of Keith but once he said it out loud he realized it sounded like he was teasing him. His heart was trying to set itself free from his ribcage. He felt like vomiting his own heart. Maybe he wouldn’t have to deal with it then.

“Nothing.” Lance could hear Keith’s suppressed smile. He still refused to look at him and walked faster.

As they finally reached the end of the corridor, Lance noticed Keith’s hold on his hand was tighter than it was before. The door to the terrace was even fancier than the one at saloon downstairs. It was the night sky again, but it showed all moons being lined up perfectly in front of the planet, stars shining brighter than the ones on the hallways. He raised his right hand in front of the scanner. He finally looked at Keith, wanting to see his expression once they got out. Keith was already staring at him.

His excitement making him buzz inside, he scanned his hand on the scanner, making the doors open. Keith didn’t even look interested. He kept looking at Lance.

“Keith.” Lance jerked his head toward the terrace. “C’mon.” Keith finally turned his head and looked at the scenery as they stepped outside. His mouth slightly dropped open as his eyes roamed the sky. His eyes caught on the second moon, _Göç._ It was the smallest moon, but it was closer than the other moons so it looked slightly bigger than Earth’s Moon. _Göç_ was dark green and it reminded Lance a misty forest before rain.

Lance’s favourite was the third moon, _Alpertunga._ It wasn’t the brightest nor the closest but it had the prettiest colours, it was purple, with a pink hue to it, and it had orange lines, caused by the clouds and constant winds on it, and it looked like a sunset from the ground. 

Lance really loved sunsets.

With the first moon, _Türeyiş,_ being sapphire blue and lilac, and other moons adding green, purple, orange and pink the sky now looked like it was from heaven. It was one of the most beautiful skies Lance had ever seen in his life. He had seen skies with no moons or skies that resembled Earth’s and the skies that held the brightest stars, but none of them was this colourful. Judging the way Keith was staring at the sky, he seemed to think so too.

Lance wished he put one of those contact lens-cameras so he could take a picture of Keith without disturbing him, that way he at least could have had this fond expression if Keith rejected him. This could be, after all, their last night spent together in peace without awkwardness. Or their last night spent together, period.

After watching the sky for another minute, Keith turned to Lance, who had been watching him all along. Lance averted his eyes for a couple of seconds, but then looked back at Keith. Keith was staring at him back with the same expression from seconds ago, it was like he was looking at something pretty, like he was still looking at the sky. Like he was— Like _Lance_ was—

(Like Lance was one of the most beautiful skies in the universe.)

“Thanks,” Keith broke the silence, “for bringing me here.” Lance opened his mouth, closed it and nodded his head. He knew his voice would crack if Keith kept looking at him like— like _that._

(Like Lance was one of the most beautiful skies in the _universe._ )

( _Stop,_ Lance wanted to say. _Never stop,_ Lance wanted to say. Keith was gonna be the end of him if he kept doing that but Lance could never get enough of it, like an addiction. It was a bit stupid too, knowing that this was gonna be how he would die, yet still deciding to step off the cliff and letting himself fall, not knowing if someone was gonna catch him or not. _Wanting_ that. Wanting to fall, to love, to let his feelings consume him. Wanting Keith to catch him, to love him, to make Keith feel the way he feels for Keith. Wanting _Keith._ )

Lance looked away again, overwhelmed with the intensity of his feelings, determined to not look back at Keith. He stared at nothing, to the darkness, fully aware of Keith’s eyes on him. Lance wanted all of his Keith’s attention, like he always did, and now that he had it, he had no idea what to do with it. It was overwhelming him, _like it always did._ Lance always pulled and then pushed Keith whenever Keith and he had gotten closer in the past because he didn’t know what to do with the attention from Keith that he worked so hard to get, once he had it.

After watching Lance a bit more, Keith had turned toward the darkness too and didn’t break the silence, _thank God._ Lance still needed time. Allura would have been surprised if she had heard him say it, _even after all those years? Seriously, Lance?_

“So,” Lance broke the silence suddenly. He and Keith both cringed the loudness of it and tried to turn it down. Lance turned around and rested his elbows on the railing of the terrace and faced the door of the terrace. Easier to run away if he embarrassed himself. “I heard that— I heard some things from the other Blades. Before you and Acxa had arrived here.”

“About what?” Lance turned his head to Keith.

“There are uh. Some rumors that you and Acxa are… together?” He let out a nervous laugh.

Keith hummed and then a second later shrugged, “Those won’t last. I’m gay and she’s an alien.”

After a moment of silence, Lance burst out laughing, “Dude!” With that, Keith started laughing too. “Was that— Was that a Doctor Who reference?”

“Yes! I’ve been thinking about Doctor Who ever since I’ve seen this sky.” Keith seemed so enthusiastic about it, so _proud_ of the reference he made and so happy when Lance recognized the reference. Lance couldn’t stop looking at Keith’s bright and smiling face. He was showing his teeth and the smile seemed to spread all of his body. Keith was glowing. Because he made a dumb Doctor Who reference and he was so proud of it and he was happy that Lance recognized that reference.

Which meant Lance had to do something stupid and brave.

“Kiss me.” Like asking Keith to kiss him. Maybe that was _too_ stupid and _too_ brave.

 _Well,_ Keith was always a bit stupid and brave. He must have rubbed off on Lance.

Keith’s expression turned shocked. Then, as if someone flipped a switch, he was serious. He took a small step toward Lance. He cast his eyes down for a split second, as if he was distracted, Lance was aware of every micro-expression on his face because Keith was so close and he was studying it.

“Okay,” Keith said, like that was so easy. Like Lance just asking him was a good enough reason to do that.

“No, wait—” Lance rushed, “Only if— only if you’re gonna mean it.” Keith scowled and opened his mouth to answer but Lance didn’t let him. “Because I’m gonna mean it, Keith.” 

“Okay. I’m gonna mean it too.” He tried to get closer once again but Lance stopped him by raising his hand in front of his face.

“No, Keith you don’t get it,” Keith seemed to look nervous and leaned back this time. Lance took a deep breath and stared into Keith’s eyes, trying to convey all the feelings he had using his eyes: adoration, gratitude, pride, admiration, happiness, affection and— “I’m in love with you.”

Keith gasped softly as if Lance has ever been subtle and this was news to him. “Lance I—” He sounded broken, “I’m— Yes.” He looked frustrated. “Yes. Me too.” Angry at himself, Keith grunted. “I’m in love with you too.” 

Lance could cry.

He wanted to ask for confirmation, because how could someone like Keith would— would love someone like Lance? Keith was so _brave_ and _kind_ and _selfless_ and _smart_ and _sharp_ and _talented_ and _pretty_ and _adorable_ and— Lance could go on forever. The point was how could _Keith_ love _Lance?_ Keith could get anyone he wanted but he said he loved Lance, _of all people?_ All the endless possibilities— and Keith went for the guy who made stupid jokes and annoyed him as much as he could. 

(Keith had always told him that jokes and being annoying wasn’t his only traits, and even admitted that no matter how much he pretended he hated it, he liked these traits of Lance too. Yeah well, Keith _had been_ laughing at his jokes and sticking with him and looking for him whenever he could so Lance figured out that much but. _But.)_

Keith was so out of Lance’s league, it was hard for Lance to believe that Keith loved him. But then again, Keith had always been blunt and honest whenever he talked to Lance so it was also easy for Lance to believe that Keith loved him.

“I had this… speech.” Lance’s mouth was suddenly dry. “About why I love you. Why I never said anything sooner. I was gonna tell you that I didn’t know when I stopped envying and antagonizing you and started seeing you as one of my best friends that I admired a lot. And how, after a while, the lines started to blur and how I have fallen in love with you, and how that happened so naturally and how you were someone I needed _and_ wanted. But I kind of forgot.”

“Is that so?” Keith seemed amused that Lance was nervous. Like he was happy because he wasn’t the only one nervous.

“Yeah. You have that effect on me. I do everything to get you look at me and when you do I just. My mind goes blank. I never know what to do or what to say. You kinda blow my mind.”

Keith stayed silent for a bit then he wet his lips. “Well. You kinda blow my mind too. Whenever I look at you, I just end up staring at you, my mind is like— you know tabula rasa, right? Yeah that, with the exception of _you._ All I think about is you. Everything I know, everything I feel, everything I want is you. Only you.” Keith stared at him intensely, his looks full of want, as if he was trying to prove his point. Lance’s hands were twitching to reach out to him like they did in the elevator. He just wanted to hold him and savor the bliss of this moment.

"Cool. Nice." _Now what._

"Can I kiss you now?" Lance choked on his spit as Keith took a step closer to Lance and put his hands on the rails behind him, caging, or maybe securing Lance as if he knew Lance was about to fall on his knees because he was so _weak_ for this guy. Lance put his hands on Keith's chest, not sure if he wanted to push him away, pull him closer or just hold on to him to steady them both. 

Something about Keith activated his fight or flight response.

Judging the way Keith's heart was beating crazy fast, Keith needed something— someone to hold him too. "Are you sure?" Lance asked because he had to know. 

"Yes. Absolutely, Lance. I've— I've never been so sure of anything in my life. I know I love you and I know I want you." Keith said these words such honesty, Lance felt his inside organs move. Any more of that, and he'll actually explode. 

He thinks kissing Keith might actually kill him for good. _God, what a way to go._

Lance looked down, opened his mouth to explain himself, but then found himself lost. He looked back up in Keith's eyes, praying he understands what he's feeling. 

Keith's eyes traveled at every inch of Lance's face, searching for something, making him feel bare and naked and embarrassed and bold at the same time. Lance wanted to run a hundred mile and then scream and then run another a hundred of mile. Maybe this would make Keith understand just _how much_ he felt. He thought saying the words _i love you_ would have made him lighter but now Lance understood 'love' was an understatement of what he was feeling about Keith. It was a disrespect for the bond they had. 

Keith was much more than just a lover; he has always been like a stick that supported a growing tree during their teenage years. Keith was someone he needed in his life, someone that'd make him strive for the better, someone that'd bring some sense to him whenever he was bullshitting, someone that'd hold him when he tried to find his way whenever he was lost, someone that'd ease down his insecurities just by standing beside him, someone that'd be different than him but still understand him because they were cut from the same cloth. Keith meant the worlds to him, he had his full trust, like he could ask Lance to hold his hand and tell him he'd take him away and Lance would do that without a single doubt. 

As long as he held onto Keith, Lance knew he'd be okay.

And deep down, he knew Keith felt the same. As long as they had each other, he knew they'd be okay. 

Keith had always had his back, even when he left and came back. Keith had left— left the team, _left Lance—_ more than once and made Lance doubt if he could trust him again but somehow he always came back and he always gained his trust back and he proved he would stay— he _could_ stay, he would try his best and even when Lance doubted him, Keith always had his back. He would _always_ have his back. 

(Lance thought maybe he was still trying to make up for the time when he _didn’t_ have the team’s back. He knew Keith still felt guilty about that time.)

And sometimes it was— it was too much. Thinking about Keith and just _feeling_ was too much. Lance didn't know how many chances he had, but he knew it wasn't a lot and he didn't want to mess it up. Keith was important to him, too important to even risk losing. 

" _Yaratılış_ is about to rise." 

"What?" 

"The fourth moon. It's about to rise. we are supposed to watch it. That's why we are here." 

"Is it really the only reason we are here, Lance?" 

No, it wasn't. And Keith knew that too.

"Come on, Keith. We are gonna miss it. It's really pretty. It's bright red and it kinda looks like that one Avatar episode where the spirit of the moon dies. Especially when other three moons are set and it's the only one in the sky. Any second now." Despite his words, Lance wasn't making any effort to get away from Keith and turn to watch the night sky. Keith was looking at his eyes as if he was looking for something. He didn't back away and Lance felt like he was about to have a stroke. 

Keith seemed like he found what he was looking for after a minute and his eyes glinted with the familiar amusement whenever he was about to tease Lance. "Are you scared, _Álvarez?"_ The way Keith said his last name whenever he teased him was doing something to him, to his heart. 

"Aren't you, Keith?" Lance asked, honesty and vulnerability could be heard from each word. If he was gonna do it, he wanted to do it right. 

Keith's amused half-smirk was gone in an instant, and the serious expression was back on his face. Lance felt Keith's heartbeat quicker under his hands. "I'm terrified, Lance. I'm scared of screwing this up. Scared of losing you. Scared of my own feelings. Scared that one day you'll find someone better and realize you _deserve_ better and you'll walk away and leave me alone." Under all that scowling and dark features, Lance could see how much scared Keith was, how anxious he felt. 

"No one, Keith, and I mean this, _no one_ will be better. I don't _want_ anyone else. No matter how much better you might think they are, I don't want them. I want you and only you. I've _always_ wanted you. I've known and admired you at least half of my life Keith, and—and I don't think I can let go of you unless you want me to go." Keith's expression softened instantly and turned into something so, _so_ sweet and fond. Lance, not for the first time, didn't think he deserved to be the centre of this kind of affection.

"I don't— I don't want you to leave me." Keith's voice cracked when he said _leave_ _me,_ and Lance's heart broke from the sadness and fear Keith was feeling. 

"You're not alone anymore, Keith. You'll never be alone ever again. Not if I can do something about it." Lance said and took a deep breath. He tried to put a sarcastic smirk on his face and lighten up the mood. "Listen to me baby, you're not alone, even if it's just about feeling scared. Because I'm scared too, and I don't know what to do. But I have you. You have me. We'll take care of each other." 

_Oh gross, it ended up being sappy and soft._

That seemed like it did the trick though, so Lance wasn't complaining. 

"Okay then, _sharpshooter,"_ Keith said, putting extra emphasis on the nickname and definitely teasing, "prove me that I'm not alone." Keith looked so confident now but Lance was still holding onto his chest and could feel his erratically beating heart. 

_Oooh Mr Kogane, you're not slick. I see right through you,_ he wanted to say. 

Instead, he grabbed the collar of Keith's fancy suit and pulled him closer.

**Author's Note:**

> there is a part where i imply adam is a muslim and i took that hc from twitter but i don't remember WHO exactly but THANK YOU for creating that its making my day whenever i think about it bc im also muslim and gay so


End file.
